Waterproof cement vault



Oct. 24, 195() R, A TITMUS 2,527,464 l WATERPROOF CEMENT vAULT Filed sept.`23, 1948 l I f I I I I I I I I I I I I I I ATTORN EY Patented Oct. 24, 1.95.0

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WATERPROOF CEMENT VAULT Richard A. Titmus, Petersburg, Va.

Application September 23, 1948, Serial No. 50,730

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a casket, grave o1' burial vault, and is particularly concerned with a grave vault which is entirely moisture-proof.

An object of the invention, therefore, is to provide a grave vault having a top therefor which, when placed in position o-n the vault, provides a water-proof connection between the vault proper and the top thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide a water-proof grave vault and vault closure having one or more linings, which linings have flanges or extensions that form a water-tight connection between the vault and the top or closure.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a grave vault having a water-proof lining therefor with a closure` also provided with a water-proof lining, the linings of both vault and closure having flanges or extensions and an inter-leaved layer of plastic water-proof material, thus forming a tight seal between the closure and vault.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a casket provided with a casket closure, Iboth casket and closure having a plurality of interlocked linings, portions of said linings forming a water-proof joint between the closure and the casket.

Other objects will appear hereinafter throughout the specification.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a top plan view of the casket with the closure in place;

Figure 2 is a central vertical sectional view of the structure shown in Figure 1, taken longitudinally of the structure; and

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view, partly broken away, of the joint between the cover and the casket.

Heretofore, it has been difficult to provide a casket with a removable top or cover therefor, with means forming a completely water-tight connection between the casket and the cover therefor.

Additionally, it has been difficult in a construction ofthis type to provide a casket and cover therefor, all of the walls of which are completely Water-proof. In the presently described construction, both of these objects have been accomplished and .the water-proof linings for casket and cover have continuations which form a, permanent seal that is entirely impervious to moisture, vermin, etc.

In the drawings, A indicates the casket and B the casket cover. The casket is preferably constructed of cementitious material I having reinforcing means, such as metal rods or wire 2 cast therein. vThe casket cover B'is also constructed of cementitious material 3. Both the casket proper and cover may be made of other material, such as plastic material, including resinous material. Similarly, these parts may be made of glass or of ceramic material.

Referring to Figures 2 and 3, it will be noted that the casket proper is provided with interlining 5, preferably constructed of asphaltic or resinous plastic material, and a lining 4 forming an inner facing, preferably constructed of metal.

Similarly, the casket cover B is provided with an interlining 6 of asphaltic or resinous plastic material and an inner lining forming a facing 1, preferably made of metal.

Again referring to thelining of the casket proper, it will be seen, by reference to Figure 3, that both the interlining 5 and the facing lining 4 form a flange 8 extending toward the joint I3. Preferably permanently attached to the flange 8 and extending into the joint I3 is an additional layer of asphaltic material I0.

The linings 6 and 'I of the casket cover B also extend toward the, joint I3 and form a flange 9 of substantially the same length as the flange 8'- and parallel thereto. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the additional layer of asphaltic material Il)i extendsbetween the metal portions of the flanges; 8 and 9 into the joint I3, but terminates short; of the top of the joint I3. When the casket elo-- sure is applied to the casket proper, the nose I2 of the casket closure occupies the position shown in Figures 2 and 3 and is separated from the casket proper by the flanges 8 and 9 and the.I layer of asphaltic material IU, and also by the sealing closure material Il. The sealing closure material may be of asphaltic, cementitious, or other material. This material II is the only material added after the corpse has been placed in the casket and the top lowered to the position shown in Figure 2. The linings 4, 5 and 6, 1, and the layer of asphaltic material I0 preferably form part of the casket when sold to an undertaking establishment. After the corpse has been placed in the casket and the top lowered to position, the sealing closure material II is poured into the opening between the top and casket proper left by the layer of asphaltic material I0 which, as shown, does not completely ll the space between the top and the casket proper.

There is thus provided by this invention an entirely Water-proof casket which is sealed against the outside elements. Additionally, no insects may find their way into the interior of the casket.

The word "vault in the claims is used in the generic sense so as to include either a casket or a vault.

I desire to be limited in the practice of this invention only to the extent indicated by the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In a vault including parts comprising a vault proper and a Vault cover having inner lining means, said lining means including parallel flanges on said vault proper and cover, a joint, said flanges forming part of said joint, said joint further including a trough in said vault proper and a nose on said cover, said nose having a substantially vertical outer surface, said parallel flanges terminating short of said trough and nose, a continuous layer of non-metallic material extendingr unbrokenly between said flanges and between said nose and trough and being permanently secured to the vault proper but terminating short of the upper outside wall of the trough, said layer supporting said cover when the latter is in place and providing a continuous seal for said joint except for a substantially vertical space between the outer trough wall and a portion of the vertical outer surface of said nose, said space being adapted to receive pourable sealing material for completely sealing said joint, the upper surface of the vault propel` outwardly of the trough being in a horizontal plane normal to the said vertical surface of the nose when the cover is in sealing position.

2. In a vault including parts comprising a Vault proper and a vault cover having inner lining means consisting of an outer lining of plastic material and an inner lining of metallic material, said lining means including parallel iianges on said vault proper and cover, a joint, said 4 flanges forming part of said joint, said joint further including a trough in said Vault proper and a nose on said cover, said nose having a substantially vertical outer surface, said parallel anges terminating short of said trough and nose, a continuous layer of non-metallic material eX- tending unbrokenly between said flanges and between said nose and trough and being permanently secured to the vault proper but terminating short of the upper outside wall of the trough, said layer supporting `said cover when the latter is in place and providing a continuous Seal for said joint except for a substantially vertical space between said outer trough wall and a portion of the vertical outer surface of said nose, said space being adapted to receive pourable sealing material for completely sealing said joint, said vault proper having a substantially horizontal surface terminating at said space, the upper surface of the vault proper outwardly of the trough being in a horizontal plane normal to the said vertical surface of the nose when the cover is in sealing position.

RICHARD A. TITMUS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 568,001 Rowell Sept. 22, 1896 915,928 Barnes Mar. 23, 1909 980,670 Pepple Jan. 3, 1911 1,149,907 Gompf Aug. l0, 1915 1,727,242 McKee Sept. 3, 1929 1,961,158 Mead June 5, 1934 2,004,454 Wilson June l1, 1935 

